Building construction



Aug. 2, 1927. 1,637,430

E. E. VAN WIE BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Jai-25. 1926vr 2'SheetS-Sh'eet l.

INVENTOR.

. l; 5 I, ,5L/WER f. www/E l BY 'A A TTORNEY.

Aug. 2, 1921., E E; VAN WIE 1.631.430

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Filed Jan. 25. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. flMf/i f. VANW/E A TTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 2, 1927.y i"

yUNITED STATES f ELMER nl. VANWIE, or LONG BEACH, CALIFORNIA.

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION.'

rApplication filed January 25, 17926. .Serial No. 83,534.

This invention relates to building struction. i

The general objectof the invention is to provide an improvedbuildingy construction wherein unitary yblocks are used. c g

n A specific obj ect of the invention is to provide anovel wall composed of a plurality ofsiinilar units. f f l A further object of the invention is to providean improved building block. y

Another object ofthe invention is to providea building structure made of units comprising front and back members Land ywherein the front and back members are iinitedv by interlocking members arranged in anovel manner to form a` rigid structure,

Other objects of theinvention will be apparent fromthefollowing description taken in connection with they accompanying drawinOs wherein: i f f Fig, 1 is a side elevation of a wall made from my'imp'roved blocks, with one "face of the wall removed to showthe interlocking relation of the blocks;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view kthrough a corner of a wall yembodying the features of ,myk invention;

Fig. 3 is atop planview yof a block or unit embodying the features of ymy invention;f,f`y Fig. 1 is a topplan view of a half block; Fig. 5 isa similar view showing an end block;

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing another arrangement of the locking members on the blocks; f

Fig. 7 is aperspective view of one of the blocks shown in Fig. 6; f

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional View of one of the blocks embodying the features of my invention wherein one face of the block is provided with a rounded surface;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing kthe blocks with the front and backy faces thereof arranged diamond fashion; n y

Fig. 10 isa perspective .view of ar/whole block; f Fig. 11 isa perspective 'view of a half blockwherein the faces are arranged'to produce the diamond effect; y

Fig. 12 is 'a perspective view of ak'corner block of the diamondtype; c.

Fig. 13fis'a plan view7 partlyin'section',y of ya wall made from my blocks shown'in Fio. 6, showing means for fconnectingthe walls at a corner; f

con#

ja'nd back members. The members yare shown as character.

kbe made. f

Fig. 14 is a view similar to Fig. 13 showing anothery connecting means;

F ig. 15 is a kperspective view showing a corner block Fig. 16 is a perspective view of a single faced block;

ffFig. 17 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing a wall made ofthe blocks 'shown in'Fig.r 1G, with the front and back faces extending at right angles to each other;

'Fig.18 is aperspective view; and

Figs. 19 and 2O are end views of blocks `wherein the intermediate members are 'arranged transversev to the front and back members. an d n ,'Fig. 21 is a fragmentary view of a portion of silo', embodying the` features of myr invention. f

Referring yto the drawings by reference characters, I 'have indicated a wall embodyberl 12 al rear member 14 and a air of inter` s 7 f locking` end members 15. The outer faces yof the front and back members 12 and 14 are preferably plane Aand parallel and the kend.

members 15 are arranged between the front connected by fastening means 16 which lmay be 'metal members or I may be of any other desired In the practice of my' invention I may make the blocks of wood or I may make the rfront and back members of "cementitious material and the interlocking members 15 of wood or I'inay make all ofthe members of cementitious material or all kof the mein f bers of wood and I wish it to be understood .that I do not wish to be limited to the partien y ular material fromy which my block is to Referring again yto the drawings it will the lower ends 18 project below the bottom of the front and back members.,y The totaly length ofthefinterlocking membersyl is preferably less than twice the length of the front and 'back members so that when the blocksare arranged in interlocking relation reform a wall there will ybe` a space "19'ben tween ythe ende/of the interlocking members shorvfa half'block wherein but one ot theV fastening members 151s employed.

so thatv a proper engagement oit the front and back members will be effected.

In constructing ythe Wall the blocks are laid in courses withY the vertical: joints staggered and With the interlocking` members in vertical .alignment but out of engagement With each other as shown in Fig. l' wherein the front member has been removed to shoe7 the. interlocking arrangemei'it.

In constructing the -ivall I preferably arrange a'plu-rality ofblocks in interlockingV relationand place reinforcing members 20 upon the connecting"y member 16. This done. I may proceedto place a cementitious filling; 2l as shovvnrin Fig; 2 `vithiny ythe hollow spaces afforded by the blocks. rIhis cementitious filling:r is. poured around collapsible Vmold members to provide cavities 22 so that goed heating'and cooingr` insulation properti'esare provided. Y g v The fmembersl are preterably nails or similar fastening imenflbers and in constructing a block I prefer to first insert the nails in the interlocking members l5 after which the -front andback members mayv be cast about the nail heads to thus provide a rigid structure. It will be Vunderstood that other methods ofassembly may be used it desired, however. f

the; character described While in Fig. 4 I

y,In Fig. 5 .I show a corner block Where-in theback ymember lll is the lengt-h of a full block 'length ivhilethe front member 23 vhas anend portion 24- which will extend beyond the inner portion 14e as shown in Fig". 2 to provide a corner-*member Whichvvill engage the-@ndv of ablock laid at right Vangles to the fac'el23. y Y y Instead of arrangingl the interlocking members with their locking ends projecting above4 and below the front and back members. I may provide a construction as shovvn inFigs. 6v and 7 wherein the front members A25 lare connected to the rear members 26 by interlocking` members 27- which arerheld inV spaced relation by means such as nails 28. The members 27 in ythis construction do not extendbeloiv the ybottom of t-hek front and.y back members 2G but extend above thismember a distance somewhat less thanr thekvvidth of` the front ofthe block so that when the Vvblocks yare interlocke-d they will assume the interlocking members 15 are ofthe con'- struction*heretofore mentioned. The front member 30 differs slightly in that this member is rounded on its exposed surface to provide Aa column-like effect. On this surface I may provide a veneer 3l or other embellishment-- if desired. c Y

In Figs. 9, l0 and ll I show the Wall constructed or blocks made with front members rear members 33, and interlocking members Slt which are spaced Afrom the front and back members andare fastened to they front and back members by fasteningl means 36. In this arrangement thejy trent and back members 32 are arranged so that the lock ing members 34 areparallel a diagonal to the front and back memliiers. Vlith this construction a. diamond eect is produced in the Wall which is in many cases quite desirable. In Fig. 10 a. .front blockis shown While iuITi... lla halfblock is shown.r

In Fig. l2 I show Y,a corner block of the Ydiamondtype Wnich'comprises an L-shaped Y Y K y f n by*securingy boards 40 upon the ends of the In F m13 I haveshoivn a hollenT block of front and back members 25and 26. also by securing' them by fastening; means ell to the interlockingmembers 27. After this is done, an outer corner member 4-2 is secured in place by fastening' means 43.

In Fig. lll another type of corner made tromthe blocks shown in Figs. '6 and '7 is illustrated. This'corner block is also shown in Fig. l5. It comprises an L-s'haped memberrr which has plane outer surfaces 46. The member basa plurality of interlocking members I7 thereon held in spaced rela-- tion thereto by fastening members Each o't the interlocking members 4t? on the l.. shaped membersl at the corner are engaged by a strip of metal or other material, the ends 5l or which are bent around locking members 27 of the Wall kso that the corner blocks are held in assembled relation.

`In Figijql@ I show a block comprisingr a front member 52 and a pair ot interlocking rear members 53 AWhich are secured to the front member by fastenings means 54. -The interlocking members 53 project above and below the top 'and bottom of the trent member 52. In' Fig. 17 a rear vievv of the Wall made from the( blocksshoyvn in Fig. 16 is y6l are provided.

ing thereof.L i* This concrete y56 may be held.

in place while setting by planksk 57 `which 63 as shown in Fig. l() projects above and.

rbelow the top and bottom of the frontend back members. i ln Fig. 18 the front member is of greater width than the rear mem-y bers so that these memberswheninterlocked may formv a stationary curved wall 64 as shown in Fig. 21.

y Such a wall as this may be made intoy a silo or other building as de# sired. f 7

apparent that I have provided 'an improved unit building construction whichfean be made very economically, and which can be erected at a minimum of cost.`r n "Havingr'thus described niy'invention, I

claim:` r g f v y l. .A building tile comprising a front and back member.r locking members arranged be-` tween said. front and back members nearf each side of the front and. back members,

said locking' members extending abovethe.

' top and below the bottom ot`- the front and xbaclrmembers and being narrower than the' ydistancebetween the front and back members. andmeans to secure the Jfront andback members to the locking members.

` 2. A building tile adapted to be placed a wall and comprising two rectangular portions constituting the front and the back of the tile, a pair ot connecting members, one

r disposed at each side of said rontand back `and spaced 'therefrom but connected thereto f by means spaced from the top ofthe front` l and bacln'said connecting members project ing above said front and back.r

A beading ai@ adaptada be" piaceri in f* a wall k'and comprisinga front and back signature.

member, said front and back members being unitedto each other near each edge thereof yby central locking members and fastening members, said locking members being disposed within the end edges of said kfrontend baclrmembers and projecting above and be? low the front and back members, said lock-4 l ing members being narrower than the distance betweenthe inner face of the front and back members.

and back'members the locking members oi'` k adjacent units intertting, said locking memt ri'ber projecting upwardly beyond the top of From the foregoing description it will be y,

bers being less than the lieightofthefront, said Connecting means'bemg adapted to coact to support the front and back when kthe parts are assembled, said front forming a cone tinuous surface, and a filling of cementitious il' material vbetween the iront and back and engaging' the interlocking members.

6'. A wall comprising a plurality ol blocks arranged in interlocked relation, each ot ysaid blocks ycomprising front and back memit bers and locking members, said locking mems bers being arranged intermediate said front and back members and a stay member en-` gaging the locking members of different blocks to hold the blocksv in assembled position. f f fk In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiX my ELMEREQVAN win.k

from a kplurality of posed within the ends of the front and back t and near each side ot said front and back members and connected tovthose' members,` the totalk length of said interlockingmem- 

